Spokane International Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spokane International Airport Geiger Army Airfield
Spokane International Airport in 2010, viewed from the south
IATA: GEG ICAO: KGEG FAA LID: GEG
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Spokane County & City of Spokane
Operator	Spokane Airport Board
Serves	Inland Northwest (primarily Spokane–Coeur d'Alene area)
Location	West Hills, Spokane, Washington, United States
Hub for	Empire Airlines
Elevation AMSL	2,385 ft / 727 m
Coordinates	47°37′12″N 117°32′02″W / 47.62000°N 117.53389°W / 47.62000; -117.53389
Website	SpokaneAirports.net
Map
FAA airport diagram
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 03/21 11,002 3,353 Asphalt/concrete 08/26 8,199 2,499 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (12 months ending December 2023) 67,223 Based aircraft (2023) 59 Total passengers served (12 months ending December 2023) 4,131,266 Cargo handled (12 months ending December 2023) 154,816,509 lbs.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration; Spokane International Airport

Spokane International Airport (GEG) is a busy airport in Spokane, Washington, USA. It's about 7 miles (11 km) west of Downtown Spokane. This airport is the main one for the Inland Northwest region. This area includes 30 counties in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

The airport's code, GEG, comes from its old name, Geiger Field. This name honored Major Harold Geiger, an early Army aviation pilot who passed away in 1927.

In 2023, Spokane International Airport served over 4.1 million passengers. This makes it the second busiest airport in Washington state. Six airlines offer direct flights from GEG to 15 airports in 13 different cities.

History of Spokane Airport

A postcard from World War II showing Geiger Field

Geiger Field in 1943

Before 1941, the airport was known as Sunset Field. The War Department bought it and renamed it Geiger Field. This was to honor Major Harold Geiger, a brave pilot who died in 1927.

During World War II, Geiger Field was a very important training base. The Second Air Force used it to train pilots for B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. New planes came from Boeing near Seattle. It was also a place for aircraft maintenance and supplies.

In 1943, General Hap Arnold started the first official fire protection training course at Geiger Field. It was used until 1946.

Geiger Field closed in late 1945. It was then given to Spokane County to become a commercial airport. During the Cold War, the airport was used by the USAF to protect important sites like the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and Grand Coulee Dam.

The airport became Spokane's main airport in 1946, taking over from Felts Field. It got its current name, Spokane International Airport, in 1960. Even today, its airport code is still GEG, remembering its past as Geiger Field.

The Concourse A and B complex, which first opened in 1965.

The main Concourse A and B building opened in 1965. It was designed by architects Warren C. Heylman and William Trogdon.

Growing the Airport: 1970s and Beyond

In 1974, a second floor was added to Concourses A and B. This allowed planes to connect directly to the terminal using passenger boarding bridges.

The airport has a long-term plan to keep growing. This plan includes adding a third runway and more gates to Concourse C.

A new control tower was built south of the airport. It is now the tallest control tower in Washington state. The airport also finished a big project in 2006 called TRACE. This project added more shops and expanded security areas. It also made the main Rotunda area look nicer. In 2010, Runway 3–21 was made longer. This helps heavier planes take off more easily in the summer.

By 2023, the airport plans to add even more new gates. They also want to create a central security area and bigger baggage claim space. This will help the airport handle more passengers and cargo. Spokane is becoming a popular place for big events and businesses.

Modernizing the Terminal: TREX Program

On October 20, 2022, the airport started a big project called the Terminal Renovation and Expansion (TREX) program. The first part of this project is making Concourse C bigger. This $150 million addition will add 144,000 square feet (13,378 sq m) and 6 new gates. It will also update the existing terminal. The first part of the expanded concourse opened in June 2024. The rest of the project should be finished in 2025.

The second part of the TREX program will create a central security checkpoint and baggage claim area. This central area will make it easier to move between Concourses A/B and C. This new Central Hall is expected to cost $179 million and be built between 2025 and 2027. Other plans include moving the rental car facilities and updating Concourse A/B.

Airport Facilities

Runways

The airport covers a large area of 6,140 acres (2,485 hectares). It has two paved runways:

• Runway 3/21: 11,002 feet (3,353 m) long, made of asphalt and concrete.
• Runway 8/26: 8,199 feet (2,499 m) long, made of asphalt.

Control Tower

The airport's control tower is special because it's believed to be the only federal air traffic control tower named after one person. In 2010, it was named after Ray Daves. He was a World War II radioman who survived Pearl Harbor and Midway. After the war, he worked as an air traffic controller in Spokane until the 1970s.

Terminals

A map showing the terminals at Spokane International Airport

Spokane International Airport has three main parts for passengers: Concourse A and B in the middle, Concourse C to the southwest, and the Ground Transportation Center to the north. These parts are connected. However, passengers cannot walk directly between Concourse A-B and Concourse C without going through the public, non-security areas.

Concourse A/B

The entrance to the Concourse A-B ticketing area

A view of the Rotunda in Concourse A-B

The Concourse A/B complex opened in 1965. It has two concourses connected by a central rotunda area. This rotunda has places to eat and shop. Concourse A has 5 gates (11-15), and Concourse B has 8 gates (1–8).

The Concourse A-B complex first opened on April 1, 1965. It cost about $4.6 million at the time. The building has a unique style with lots of exposed concrete.

Over the years, the airport has grown, and some of the original design has changed. For example, in 1974, a second floor was added to both Concourses A and B. This allowed planes to connect directly to the terminal. Even with changes, many original parts of the building are still there, like the concrete roof and columns.

Future plans include combining the baggage claim areas from both concourses into one large area. Concourse A-B will also get a renovation. Eventually, there are long-term plans to build a completely new terminal around 2030.

Currently, Southwest Airlines mainly uses Concourse A. Delta and United Airlines use Concourse B. American Airlines moved to Concourse C in March 2016.

Concourse C

Concourse C at night

Concourse C has 9 gates. Some are on the upper level (30-32) for larger planes, and some are on the lower level (21a, 21b, 22-26) for smaller regional planes. The current Concourse C opened in 2000 after a $20 million update. This project added 80,000 square feet (7,432 sq m) to the concourse. It also added a new baggage claim and a two-story passenger area. The new Concourse C looks more modern, with lots of metal and large windows.

Alaska Airlines and its partner Horizon Air were the main airlines using Concourse C. Then, American Airlines moved to Concourse C in March 2016. Alaska and American use the upper-level gates, while Horizon uses the lower-level gates.

In October 2022, the airport started expanding Concourse C as part of the TREX program. This construction is ongoing, and the concourse is expected to fully reopen in late 2025.

Airlines and Destinations

Passenger Flights

Cargo Flights

Airport Statistics

Top Destinations by Passengers

Busiest domestic routes from GEG
(September 2022 - August 2023)

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Seattle/Tacoma, Washington	524,000	Alaska, Delta
2	Denver, Colorado	254,000	Southwest, United
3	Salt Lake City, Utah	169,000	Delta
4	Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota	118,000	Delta, Sun Country
5	Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona	112,000	American, Southwest
6	Las Vegas, Nevada	102,000	Allegiant, Southwest
7	Portland, Oregon	84,000	Alaska
8	Sacramento, California	74,000	Southwest
9	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	73,000	American
10	Atlanta, Georgia	72,000	Delta

Airline Market Share

Annual Passenger Traffic

Here's how many passengers have used Spokane International Airport each year:

Getting To and From the Airport

Spokane Transit buses stop at the airport. You can take bus routes 60 and 63. Other services like the WSDOT's Travel Washington Gold Line, Northwestern Trailways, Wheatland Express, Queen City Shuttle, and Special Mobility Service also serve the airport.

A central building for rental cars is located next to the Ground Transportation Center. This building opened in November 2008. It replaced several smaller rental car offices. It was built to handle the growth of passengers at the airport for many years.

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Spokane para niños